Department for Transport

Bicycles: Safety

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will provide clearer guidance and standardisation for flashing bike lights.

Jesse Norman: Standards for the fitment and use of bike lights are set out in the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989 as amended. Front and rear flashing lights are permitted on bicycles provided they do not cause undue dazzle or discomfort to other road users, have a constant flashing frequency of 1 to 4hz and, if they are the only lights fitted, an intensity of not less than four candelas.

Bus Services

Andy McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has made an assessment of the causes of decline in the number of passenger journeys made by bus since 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: There are a number of factors that may explain the fall in bus patronage on local bus services seen in recent years. These include: Transport for London attribute the fall in bus patronage in London in the last three consecutive years to increased congestion and road works which has affected bus performance by reducing average bus speeds. This may also result in people switching to other modes of transport such as light rail. Car ownership: Household car ownership remains high and is likely to have contributed to falling bus patronage. Data from the National Travel Survey (NTS) shows that 77% of households in England owned at least one car or van in 2016, up from 75% in 2010. Online shopping: The growth in online shopping in recent years may have led to a fall in people using the bus for shopping trips. Data from the National Travel Survey shows that there were 13 shopping trips per person per year on local bus in England in 2016, down from 19 per person per year in 2010. Reductions in local authority supported services: Vehicle mileage on local authority supported services in England outside London has decreased each year since peaking in 2009/10. The Bus Services Act 2017 presents local authorities with new powers to bring about change, and unlock the potential for the bus industry to achieve more for passengers. In particular, new enhanced partnership and advanced quality partnership powers provide the framework for authorities to work side by side with operators to set a shared vision for bus services in their area.

Community Transport: North Cornwall

Scott Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what funding his Department provides for community transport initiatives in North Cornwall constituency.

Jesse Norman: The Department has devolved £773,409 of BSOG funding directly to Cornwall County Council. It is for each local authority to decide how to precisely spend their devolved BSOG grant, however funds may only be used to support bus services, which includes community transport services run under a section 19 permit. The Department paid £505,868 excluding VAT in grant funding to eleven community transport operators in Cornwall, toward minibuses to use for the benefit of their passengers from the Department’s Community Minibus Fund (CMF). The North Cornwall constituency will receive some of this CMF support. The Department also paid £2,681 directly to four community transport operators in the North Cornwall constituency in the 2016-17 financial year through BSOG.

Parking Offences

Sir Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the cost of damage to pavements as a result of (a) illegal parking and (b) unloading by vehicles; and will he make a statement.

Sir Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many  pedestrian were injured as a result of damage to the pavement caused by vehicles in (a) Dacorum, (b) Hertfordshire and (c) England and Wales in each year since 2005.

Jesse Norman: The Department for Transport has made no estimate of the cost of damage to pavements as a result of (a) illegal parking and by (b) unloading of vehicles. This also includes how many pedestrians were injured as a result of damage to the pavement caused by vehicles in each year since 2005. The management and maintenance of footways falls under the responsibility of highway authorities. The Department for Transport endorses the Code of Practice on Well-Managed Highway Infrastructure as published by the UK Roads Liaison Group. The Code provides advice to highway authorities on a number of issues including highway and footway maintenance. Advice suggests that illegal parking on verges and footways, especially by heavy vehicles, could cause considerable damage and where this has occurred it might be relevant for authorities to increase inspection frequency and consider new materials or other forms of prevention.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Antoinette Sandbach: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether HS2 Ltd has introduced an alternative dispute resolution scheme for compensation for landowners.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: An Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) process is offered by HS2 Ltd in appropriate cases to property owners where statutory compensation cannot be agreed through negotiation. Cases have been subject to this process since June 2016 and guidance has been issued to individual applicants on the detailed ADR process. HS2 Ltd intend to publish guidance on ADR by 31 March 2018.

Pedestrians: Injuries

Sir Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many pedestrians were injured, excluding by terrorism, as a result of vehicles (a) driving and (b) parking on pavements in (i) Dacorum, (ii) Hertfordshire and (iii) England and Wales in each year since 2005.

Jesse Norman: The number of pedestrian casualties in reported road accidents and the number of pedestrian casualties on the footway or verge for (i) Dacorum, (ii) Hertfordshire and (iii) England and Wales, for the years 2005 to 2016, are set out in the tables. (i) DacorumAll pedestrian casualties Pedestrian casualties on the footway or verge KilledSeriousSlightTotal KilledSeriousSlightTotal200501032422005005520060104151200602022007094554200700141420080440442008007720091543492009029112010010354520100156201109435220110156201201226382012015620131133044201300662014142631201400332015083543201500552016011233420160123 (ii) HertfordshireAll pedestrian casualties Pedestrian casualties on the footway or verge KilledSeriousSlightTotal KilledSeriousSlightTotal2005137428737420050733402006861308377200607394620079813063962007211506320084812763612008174250200965324930820091734422010867252327201015424820117652893612011273645201210862633592012194050201346825132320130837452014968317394201419576720156743013812015163946201678723933320160133346 (iii) England and WalesAll pedestrian casualties Pedestrian casualties on the footway or verge KilledSeriousSlightTotal KilledSeriousSlightTotal20056055,80023,82830,2332005484492,6313,12820066145,69421,84028,1482006424772,3892,90820075855,69921,22627,5102007394842,3402,86320085115,43719,93925,8872008424512,1232,61620094535,04019,19624,6892009424552,1042,60120103584,74718,72923,8342010393332,0482,42020114104,94218,78924,1412011323701,9972,39920123665,10317,80023,2692012194041,9842,40720133614,59617,33222,2892013183581,9292,30520143904,64017,97923,0092014283981,9622,38820153674,51917,48722,3732015283551,9102,29320164164,74316,72821,8872016404151,8412,296

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Antoinette Sandbach: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many homeowners affected by Phase 2b of High Speed Two have received compensation under the Cash Offer scheme.

Antoinette Sandbach: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many homeowners on Phase 2b of High Speed Two have had their home purchased under the voluntary purchase scheme.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: 142 applications have been accepted to the Phase 2b Rural Support Zone scheme which offers successful applicants a choice of either the Voluntary Purchase Scheme (the sale of their property to the Government for the full un-blighted value) or the Cash Offer (10% of the properties un-blighted value with a minimum payment of £30k and a maximum payment of £100k). Decisions have been reached by applicants in 55 cases. 37 applicants have chosen the Cash Offer of which 11 payments have been made and 18 applicants have chosen the Voluntary Purchase scheme of which 4 properties have been purchased. The remaining 87 successful applicants have yet to decide which scheme to take.

Aviation: Carbon Emissions

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to support the aviation industry in reducing carbon emissions as that sector expands.

Jesse Norman: Given the international nature of the aviation sector, the Government’s emphasis has been on taking action at the global level as the best means of addressing carbon emissions from aviation. In 2016, the UK was instrumental in reaching a ground-breaking international agreement through the International Civil Aviation Organisation, aimed at decoupling growth in flights from growth in emissions by achieving carbon neutral growth in the sector from 2020. However, the Government has also encouraged other measures to reduce aviation emissions, including VIA the use of biofuels, airspace reform and improvements in aerospace technology. The Government intends to make aviation biofuels eligible for certificates under the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation. This will help increase the use of renewable fuels in a sector that remains likely to require liquid fuels over the long term. Through the Future Fuels for Flight and Freight Competition, the Government has made £22 million matched capital funding available to support the production of low carbon fuels for aviation and heavy good vehicles. The Government will set out its strategic approach to the aviation sector in a series of consultations leading to the publication of a new Aviation Strategy for the UK in 2019. The Strategy will consider what the best approach and combination of policy measures are at the international and domestic levels to ensure we effectively address carbon emissions from aviation.

Bus Services: Yorkshire and the Humber

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what meetings he has had with bus operators in Yorkshire and the Humber since taking his post; and what meetings such are planned for 2018.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: The Secretary of State regularly meets with bus operators from all across the country. Details of past Ministerial meetings with external organisations are published on a quarterly basis and are available via the gov.uk website. The Department does not publish/provide details of planned meetings.

Motor Vehicles: Brakes

Sir Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information his Department holds on the (a) known and (b) estimated safety benefits to vulnerable road users including (a) pedestrians, (b) cyclists and (c) motorised two wheelers of fitting (i) cars, (ii) vans and (iii) lorries fitted with the latest sensing Autonomous Emergency Braking.

Jesse Norman: UK casualty data regarding pedestrians and cyclists were used in the European project, “Assessment methodologies for forward looking Integrated Pedestrian and further extension to Cyclists Safety Systems”(AsPeCSS - 2014). It estimated that first generation AEBS could reduce pedestrian fatalities by 6% and serious injuries by 4% when assessed against a baseline of no AEBS. Estimates for second generation systems, with greater pedestrian recognition capability, indicated a reduction of fatal and serious injuries of 14% and 9% respectively. The capability of AEBS to reduce cycle casualties was assessed but, due to the less mature state of the technology, the benefits could not be quantified in such clear terms. This study does not provide a breakdown by casualty and by vehicle type.

Motor Vehicles: Brakes

Sir Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Industrial Strategy, whether he has plans to promote the adoption of the latest sensing Autonomous Emergency Braking systems to support advances in the technology sector.

Jesse Norman: New sensor technology, together with advances in system software, mean that a new generation of Advanced Emergency Braking Systems have the potential to have a positive effect on road casualties. Through its support for a dynamic rating system in EuroNCAP, the UK Government has encouraged the uptake of AEBS and other new technologies by vehicle manufacturers who seek the highest safety ratings for their products. The UK is also an active participant in UN ECE consideration of proposals to require AEBS to be fitted to all new passenger cars and vans. More widely, the Government is investing £150m into Collaborative Research and Development and Feasibility Study projects, including a range of high profile public trials and demonstrations of Connected and Autonomous Vehicles, and related technologies and business models.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Fireworks

Scott Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department plans to amend the regulations on the use of fireworks.

Andrew Griffiths: On 29 January, the Government set out its approach to firework safety in a Westminster Hall Debate triggered by an E-Petition calling for changes to the laws governing the use of fireworks. There is no current plan to change the legislation. The newly established Office for Product Safety and Standards will be responsible for collating information and data about the safety of consumer products, including fireworks. This will provide an evidence base and enable the Government to keep the issue under review.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Afghanistan: Religious Freedom

Chris Philp: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what plans the Government has put in place to promote and protect the right to freedom of and belief in Afghanistan.

Mark Field: ​Afghanistan is a priority country for our human rights work. The UK works closely with the National Unity Government, NGOs, civil society and other international partners to support the promotion and protection of human rights in Afghanistan.

Syria: Peace Negotiations

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to the Government in Turkey on a negotiated, peaceful and democratic solution for the Kurdish population in Syria and Turkey.

Sir Alan Duncan: ​We regularly discuss the need for a political settlement in Syria with the Government of Turkey. These discussions cover the needs of all Syrians. The Foreign Secretary most recently spoke to Turkish Foreign Minister Cavusoglu about Syria on 24 January. Within Turkey we have consistently called for the PKK to lay down its arms and for the government and the PKK to return to peace talks. We stand ready to help achieve this goal in any way we can.

Hezbollah: Weapons

Neil Parish: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of Hezbollah's ability to manufacture weapons.

Alistair Burt: We are aware of reports that Hizballah is manufacturing weapons in Lebanon, which would constitute a direct contravention of UN Security Council Resolutions 1559 and 1701. We condemn the threat that such activity poses to regional stability.

Human Rights: Sanctions

Ben Lake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his policy is on when to apply sanctions to pressure countries to comply with international law with regards to human rights abuses.

Ben Lake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, to which countries the Government applies sanctions on account of their record of human rights abuses.

Sir Alan Duncan: The Government's response to reports of human rights violations is determined on a case by case basis.The Government is implementing United Nations or European Union sanctions regimes focussing on human rights violations in relation to the following countries: Belarus, Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Iran, Libya, Mali, South Sudan, Venezuela and Zimbabwe.Furthermore, the 2017 Criminal Finances Act allows UK law enforcement agencies to use civil recovery powers to freeze the assets of those who violate human rights wherever those violations take place, where that property is held in the UK. The Home Secretary can also exclude from the UK individuals whose presence is not conducive to the public good.

Department of Health and Social Care

Pregnancy Tests

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to fund independent scientific research into hormone pregnancy tests.

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to establish an independent public inquiry into hormone pregnancy tests.

Jackie Doyle-Price: The Commission on Human Medicines Expert Working Group on Hormone Pregnancy Tests was established in 2015 to consider all the available evidence on the possible association between exposure in pregnancy to hormone pregnancy tests and adverse outcomes in pregnancy. The Expert Working Group conducted a comprehensive, scientifically robust and independent review of all available scientific evidence relating to hormone pregnancy tests including the responses to a public call for evidence. In reaching its conclusion that, taking all aspects into consideration, the available evidence did not support a causal association between the use of hormone pregnancy tests during early pregnancy, the Expert Working Group made a number of forward-looking recommendations to further strengthen the scientific evidence which supports safety monitoring of medicines in pregnancy. The current focus of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is on implementing these recommendations. While there are no plans to fund independent scientific research into hormone pregnancy tests (which have not been available since 1978), should any further evidence emerge of direct relevance to hormone pregnancy tests the MHRA will evaluate this. In addition, certain of the Expert Working Group’s recommendations are anticipated to encourage relevant research into the safety of medicines in pregnancy. The Government’s priority, as always, is the safety of patients. A comprehensive and independent review of the science has been done but the Government will continue to listen and keep all options for further investigation on the table.

Chronic Illnesses: Medical Treatments

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of the proposals in the Life Sciences Strategy on treatments for people with (a) cystic fibrosis and (b) other long-term conditions.

Jackie Doyle-Price: No assessment has been made. However, the Government is working in collaboration with the sector to realise the vision of the strategy to ensure the United Kingdom remains a top-tier global hub for clinical research and medical innovation, and ensure that the benefits of these innovations will be felt by UK patients. For example, the Government is investing up to £210 million in an early diagnostics challenge that will help patients benefit from earlier, more accurate diagnosis and more effective treatments. We have also published the response to the Accelerated Access Review which includes the introduction of a new Accelerated Access Pathway and £86 million of funding to support medical innovations get to patients faster.

School Milk

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to his Department's 2014 paper Next Steps for Nursery Milk, whether his Department is responsible for the nursery milk scheme.

Jackie Doyle-Price: Yes.

Mental Health Services: Yorkshire and the Humber

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to support increased provision of emergency beds for mental health crisis patients in Yorkshire and the Humber.

Jackie Doyle-Price: Significant work is underway to ensure all areas of the country are actively prioritising the provision of crisis response and acute mental health care services. By 2021, in line with recommendations from the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health all areas should have crisis resolution and home treatment teams which can provide both a 24/7 community-based emergency response and offer intensive home treatment as an alternative to an acute inpatient admission. We have set an ambition to eliminate inappropriate out of area placements for adult acute mental health care resulting from local bed capacity pressures. All areas have plans in place to ensure that acute mental health inpatient beds are always available to people who need them by 2021. In Yorkshire and the Humber, work is expected to begin on a new inpatient mental health facility for children and young people at St Mary’s Hospital in 2019. Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust already operates disability and mental health services from the site. The new unit will have 18 specialist and four psychiatric intensive care beds. Humber NHS Foundation Trust is developing a new 11 bed mental health unit in West Hull. The facility will help young people from Hull, East Riding and North and North East Lincolnshire suffering with mental health problems.

NHS: Crimes of Violence

Scott Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many healthcare staff working at (a) hospitals and (b) medical centres in Cornwall have reported being physically assaulted in (i) 2015, (ii) 2016, and (iii) 2017.

Stephen Barclay: Data on the number of healthcare staff who have reported being physically assaulted is not collected centrally nor is data collected by calendar year. NHS Protect’s “reported physical assaults on National Health Service staff” for 2015/16 showed 747 in total for Royal Cornwall Hospital NHS Trust, Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Peninsula Community Health Interest Company. Of these physical assaults, 652 involved medical factors1 and 95 did not. Information on whether physically assaulted NHS staff were working at hospitals or medical centres managed by these organisations is not recorded separately. Employers working alongside local police are responsible for protecting their staff. There has been no central data collection since 2016. The Department is working with NHS England and NHS Improvement on new arrangements to support NHS and primary care employers to “…take vigorous and immediate action against those who abuse or attack the people who work for and make our NHS”. Note: 1Assaults involving medical factors are the number of physical assaults where the perpetrator did not know what they were doing, or did not know what they were doing was wrong due to medical illness, mental ill health, severe learning disability or treatment administered.

Homosexuality

Mrs Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an estimate of the number people who have undertaken gay conversion therapy.

Mrs Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the (a) psychological (b) emotional effect on people undergoing gay conversion therapy.

Jackie Doyle-Price: The Department does not hold an estimate of the number of people that have undertaken gay conversion therapy. In 2017, the Government Equalities Office carried out a survey of the experience of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in the United Kingdom, which included several questions about gay conversion therapy. Whilst not a statistically representative sample, the survey received over 100,000 responses and will help us improve our understanding of the numbers of people who have undergone, or have been offered, gay conversion therapy. This is an issue the Government is keeping under review and we are constantly working towards improving the evidence base. The Government rejects utterly the notion that sexuality is something to be cured, and condemns gay conversion therapy. The evidence base is clear that conversion therapy is not only ineffective, but is potentially harmful to participants. That is why officials have worked with the main registration and accreditation bodies for psychotherapy and counselling practitioners, including the UK Council for Psychotherapy, to develop a Memorandum of Understanding to help put a stop to this bogus treatment.

Piperacillin-tazobactam

Sir Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the cost to the NHS of prescribing the drug Tazocin has been in each year since 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Steve Brine: Tazocin is a brand name for the chemical piperacillin sodium/tazobactam sodium. Data on the cost to the National Health Service of prescribing the drug Tazocin in each year since 2010 is not available in the format requested. The two tables below show the cost of piperacillin sodium/tazobactam sodium in primary care and secondary care, for which information is available. Net Ingredient Cost of prescription items of piperacillin sodium/tazobactam sodium (all presentations) dispensed in primary care in England 2010-16  2010201120122013201420152016Total£59,149£65,182£67,747£75,854£81,998£81,212£46,739Source: Prescription Cost Analysis. NHS expenditure on piperacillin sodium/tazobactam sodium (all presentations) in secondary care in England 2010-17 Net cost per annum20102011201220132014201520162017Total in £ millions£18.9£13.0£12.9£14.1£15.0£12.1£10.2£24.4Source: NHS expenditure held within the Pharmex system.

Piperacillin-tazobactam

Sir Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what rules the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency issues on the prescribing of the drug Tazocin; and if he will make a statement.

Sir Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, under what circumstances the drug Tazocin can be prescribed to a patient in excess of the licensed maximum strength rate as set by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency; and if he will make a statement.

Sir Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what studies his Department or its agencies have undertaken into the effects on the mortality rate of patients of the use of the drug Tazocin when prescribed in excess of the licensed maximum strength rate as set by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency; and if he will make a statement.

Jackie Doyle-Price: Tazocin is a specific brand of the antibiotic piperacillin-tazobactam, of which generic formulations are also licensed for use. Tazocin is indicated for the treatment of a range of severe and complicated infections. As with all licensed medicines, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has evaluated the safety, quality and efficacy of Tazocin in accordance with its licensed use and the balance of benefits and risks is favourable. The licensed recommendations on the use of Tazocin are described in the Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) for prescribers as well as the Patient Information Leaflet (PIL). The possible side effects of use in accordance with the licensed indications and dosages are also listed in the SmPC and PIL. As with any medicine, healthcare professionals are able to prescribe Tazocin ‘off-label’ at dosages that are not authorised in the SmPC. Off-label use is the responsibility of the prescriber, based on their clinical judgement and the benefits and risks to an individual patient. The MHRA does not issue guidance on the circumstances under which off-label use of Tazocin may be appropriate, nor has it conducted a study of mortality in patients following off-label use.

Mental Health Services: Mothers

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure the provision of a specialist support service for new mothers who experience post-natal mental health problems.

Jackie Doyle-Price: This Government is committed to improving perinatal mental health services for women during pregnancy and in the first postnatal year, so that women are able to access the right care at the right time and close to home. The Department is investing £365 million from 2015/16 to 2020/21 in perinatal mental health services, and NHS England is leading a transformation programme to ensure that by 2020/21 at least 30,000 more women each year are able to access evidence-based specialist mental health care during the perinatal period. This includes access to psychological therapies and specialist community or inpatient care. A key element of the programme is to increase awareness and skills across the workforce, supporting better identification of perinatal mental illness, early intervention and consequently improved recovery rates.

Care Homes: Fees and Charges

Luke Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent estimate he has made of the number of care home residents paying top up fees for their care.

Jackie Doyle-Price: Data on top-up fees are not centrally held.

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent estimate his Department has made of the number of people diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in each of the last five years; and what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Defence on support for those people who have PTSD on account of their military service.

Jackie Doyle-Price: The most recent available data, from the Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey in 2014, showed that about one in 20 participants had sufficient symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to warrant further investigation. The Department and its arm’s length bodies maintain a close working relationship with the Ministry of Defence, as does the National Health Service with the Defence Medical Services, regarding treatment for those who need it following military service, including all mental health treatment. This includes cross-Government Ministerial meetings on mental health and the Ministerial Covenant and Veterans Board. The Veterans Mental Health Complex Treatment Service will be launched on 1 April 2018 and builds on the treatment provided by the Transition, Intervention and Liaison service, which was launched in April 2017. It will be an enhanced service for those with more complex cases of mental health, including PTSD, that have not been resolved earlier in the care pathway. These services are in addition to the transition of care protocols and continuity of care pathways for mental and physical health for all notified wounded, injured and sick.

Pregnancy Tests

Mrs Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to fund independent scientific research into hormone pregnancy tests; and if he will make a statement.

Jackie Doyle-Price: The Commission on Human Medicines Expert Working Group on Hormone Pregnancy Tests was established in 2015 to consider all the available evidence on the possible association between exposure in pregnancy to hormone pregnancy tests and adverse outcomes in pregnancy. The Expert Working Group conducted a comprehensive, scientifically robust and independent review of all available scientific evidence relating to hormone pregnancy tests including the responses to a public call for evidence. In reaching its conclusion that, taking all aspects into consideration, the available evidence did not support a causal association between the use of hormone pregnancy tests during early pregnancy, the Expert Working Group made a number of forward-looking recommendations to further strengthen the scientific evidence which supports safety monitoring of medicines in pregnancy. The current focus of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is on implementing these recommendations. The Government’s priority, as always, is the safety of patients. While there are no plans to fund independent scientific research into hormone pregnancy tests (which have not been available since 1978), should any further evidence emerge of direct relevance to hormone pregnancy tests the MHRA will evaluate this. In addition, certain of the Expert Working Group’s recommendations are anticipated to encourage relevant research into the safety of medicines in pregnancy.

Mental Health Services: Universities

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support students with mental health problems at university.

Jackie Doyle-Price: The recent Green Paper on children and young people’s mental health outlines plans to set up a new national strategic partnership focused on improving the mental health of 16-25 year olds. This partnership is likely to look to support and build on sector-led initiatives in higher education such as University UK’s Step Change project. This calls on higher education leaders to adopt mental health as a strategic priority and adopt a whole-university approach to mental health, embedding it across all policies, cultures, curricula and practice. We are also looking at how to improve education and training for students and staff in higher education about mental health. Guidance on the signs people may display when suicidal could be included in this initiative.

Social Services: Older People

Laura Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to promote its consultation on social care to older people.

Laura Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the forthcoming Green Paper on adult social care will consider the quality and access to care services in addition to funding models.

Jackie Doyle-Price: Ahead of the Green Paper’s publication, the Government is working with experts, stakeholders and people using care and support services to shape the long-term reform which is needed. When the Green Paper is published, it will then be subject to a full public consultation, providing a further opportunity for interested parties to give their views, including older people and those using services. The Government is clear that our vision for care must incorporate the wider networks of support and services which help older people to live independently, including the crucial role of housing and the interaction with other public services. It must consider how care is provided at present and challenge the system to embrace new technology, innovation and workforce models which can deliver better quality and value.

Eating Disorders: Children and Young People

Scott Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of eating disorder services for children and young people in Cornwall.

Jackie Doyle-Price: Kernow Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and Cornwall Council are responsible for assessing the health needs of children and young people in Cornwall. The two organisations produced a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) Transformation Plan in 2017 to transform the emotional wellbeing and mental health of children and young people in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. The THRIVE framework set out in the transformation plan has so far achieved a new alliance style contract signed between Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Kernow Health CiC (a general practitioner community interest company) and the Royal Cornwall NHS Hospital Trust to provide a new single pathway eating disorder service. This is a new service specification, agreed by partners, to meet access and waiting time standards by 2020. Recruitment has commenced to fill posts for the service, including a lead eating disorder paediatrician to coordinate physical health assessments and local in patient care and an additional 3.4 whole time equivalent staff into the service. CAMHS transformation funds committed for the part year 2016/17 amount to £176,000.

Compulsorily Detained Psychiatric Patients

James Frith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many specialist mental health places were available in, for people sectioned under the Mental Health Act 1983, in each region in each of the last five years.

Jackie Doyle-Price: Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) and NHS England hold responsibility for the commissioning of mental health places for people who are sectioned under the Mental Health Act 1983. CCGs commission local services that meet the needs of their local populations, including non-specialist mental health inpatient services. NHS England commissions the specialist in-patient services relating to a number of areas including adult secure care, perinatal care and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) Tier 4 care. The available information for England on the number of specialist beds in each of these categories over the last three to five years is given below. Information by individual region is not collected centrally. Adult secure beds (high, medium and low secure care)- 1 April 2015: 7,318- 1 April 2016: 7,313- 1 April 2017: 72,39 CAMHS Tier 4 Beds- April 2013 – 1,343- April 2014 – 1,386- November 2015 – 1,442- April 2017 – 1,449 Mother and baby units- 2015/16 -112 beds- 2016/17 - 120 beds- 2017/18 -124 beds It is important to note that not all the beds identified will be occupied by patients sectioned under the Mental Health Act 1983. These numbers also include beds for patients who have a learning disability and challenging behaviour which will require in-patient health care.

Compulsorily Detained Psychiatric Patients

James Frith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to increase the number of specialist mental health places available for those people sectioned under the Mental Health Act 1983.

Jackie Doyle-Price: For mother and baby units NHS England is on track to deliver against the commitment of a 49% increase in beds by 2020 in line with investment plans. For Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services Tier 4 services NHS England has committed to commission an additional 150-180 beds to support historically underserved areas. NHS England’s programme of work implementing the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health is based on local services being commissioned to provide patients with timely access to evidence-based care as early as possible and as close to home as possible where appropriate. This early care should prevent patients’ conditions deteriorating to the point where they need detention under the Mental Health Act 1983. This programme includes enhancing the provision of crisis resolution and home treatment teams and wider community mental health services. NHS England and NHS Improvement’s major programme to support areas to eliminate non-specialist acute out-of-area placements for adults by 2020/21 is based on the need to focus on whole system capacity management and alternatives to admission, such as home treatment, in light of the reducing reliance on inpatient beds, supported by £400 million investment in crisis resolution and home treatment teams by 2020/21.

Department for International Development

Palestinians: Overseas Aid

Ben Lake: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will increase aid to the Palestinian Authority to £25 million as in the financial year 2016-17.

Alistair Burt: DFID is currently carrying out a Resource Allocation Round to confirm the 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 budgets, following the November 2017 budget, and as such does not have a confirmed allocation for support to the Palestinian Authority (PA). Finalised official figures for the current financial year (2017/2018) will be released in due course. The UK remains committed to supporting Palestinians and is working closely with the PA to help build the institutions of a sovereign future Palestinian state needed for a viable two-state solution. In particular the UK is supporting the PA to deliver essential health and education services.

Department for International Development: Child Care Vouchers

Stephanie Peacock: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many employees of her Department make use of the childcare vouchers scheme.

Alistair Burt: The total number of employees making use of the childcare vouchers scheme as of January 2018 payroll is 212.

Department for Education

Pupils: Absenteeism

Sir Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if his Department will require schools in England to make telephone calls to second and third named contacts to follow up on the unauthorised absence of children from school.

Nick Gibb: The Department recently launched a consultation on proposals to update the Department’s statutory safeguarding guidance, Keeping Children Safe in Education, from September 2018. The consultation closes on 22 February 2018.As part of the consultation, the Department is seeking views regarding information that schools hold in relation to the number of contacts and if going beyond the legal minimum is the sensible approach to take.The Department plans to publish the revised Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance, for information, early in the summer term 2018. This should give schools and colleges sufficient time to review their policies and procedures and make any changes necessary to meet the requirements before the guidance comes into force in September 2018.

Schools: Construction

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what his policy is on local authorities having control of new build schools on new sites; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: Local authorities have a duty to plan and secure sufficient schools for their area. Where a local authority identifies the need to establish a new school, Section 6A of Education and Inspections Act 2006 places the local authority under a duty to seek proposals to establish an academy (free school) and to specify a date by which proposals must be submitted to the local authority. This is known as the free school presumption and is the main route for local authorities to set up new schools. The Local authority must also provide the site for the school.

Special Educational Needs

James Frith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 18 January 2018 to Question 123617, when (a) he or (b) officials of his Department last met with the teaching unions to discuss the recommendations of the OFSTED Care Quality Commission Report on Local Area SEND inspections.

Nadhim Zahawi: The joint Ofsted and Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspections play an important role in helping to ensure that the reforms of the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) system deliver better outcomes for children and young people. Department officials attended a meeting of teacher union SEND leads on 16 July 2017 to discuss the findings to date of the CQC local area inspections. Ofsted/CQC subsequently published their report summarising the findings of their inspections, Local area SEND inspections: one year on, in October 2017.

Special Educational Needs

James Frith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to Answer of 18 January 2018 to Question 123606, on special educational needs, what the timescale is for an announcement on the procurement of further support for 2018-20; and whether such funding will be part of his Department's current budget allocation.

Nadhim Zahawi: On 15 December 2017, the department published ‘Invitations to Tender’ for two new contracts to support the ongoing delivery of the special educational needs and disability (SEND) reforms over the next two years. The first was to support strategic participation by children and young people with SEND and their parents. The second was to provide strategic support to the workforce in mainstream and special schools. On 8 January 2018, the department published a tender for a third contract, to provide families with access to independent advice and support. Tender documentation was made available via the department’s Contracts Finder website at the links below: Workforce: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/5df96cf3-b759-4526-bb1e-f54bb02d9cda. Strategic participation by children and young people with SEND and their families: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/1f9fc153-7901-45a0-bed0-7d0357693216. Information, Advice and Support services for children and young people with SEND and their parents: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/154f602a-ce17-4643-9716-0f3f813353b5. Tender documents included an indicative timetable stating that, subject to successful contract discussions and clarifications, we hoped to commence the contracts from 2 April 2018. An announcement about the successful bidders will be made at that time. Funding for these contracts will be part of this department's current budget allocation.

Graduates: Bexley

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what information his Department holds on the number of people from (a) Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency and (b) Bexley Borough who graduated from university in the 2016-17 academic year.

Mr Sam Gyimah: The Department for Education has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Students: Loans

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment his Department made of the potential merits of resuming the process of selling the student loan book prior to the decision being announced on 31 October 2017.

Mr Sam Gyimah: The Department for Education has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Students: Loans

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he plans to introduce any (a) new financial penalties or (b) changes to interest rates relating to the Governments decision to resume the process of selling part of plan 1, English student loan book, announced on 31 October 2017, and if he will make a statement.

Mr Sam Gyimah: The Department for Education has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Ministry of Justice

Amey and Carillion

Jo Stevens: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department has made any comparative assessments of the perfomance of Carillion and Amey under regional contracts for prison maintenance services.

Rory Stewart: Contractor performance is measured through 16 Key Performance Indicators which are reviewed monthly by the HMPPS National Service Management Team. There is no formal comparative assessment between the contractors providing FM services to public prisons.

Young Offenders: East Midlands

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many 18 to 24-year-olds are in prisons in England whose addresses before their imprisonment were in (a) Ashfield constituency and (b) the East Midlands.

Rory Stewart: As at 31 Dec 2017, the total number of individuals in prisons in England between the ages of 18 and 24 with an origin address from the requested locations is as follows:a) Ashfield constituency: 16b) The East Midlands: 1,088

Gov Facility Services

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate his Department has made of the cost to the public purse of running the company Gov Facility Services Limited in each year from 2018 to 2022.

Dr Phillip Lee: The estimated costs of running Gov Facility Services Limited, excluding sub-contractor costs, for financial years 2018/19, FY2019/20 and FY2020/21 is £160,000,000. This option was chosen as it was the best option for tax payers as well as ensuring continuity of service.

Amey and Carillion

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice,what estimate he has made of the savings accrued by the Ministry of Justice as a result of the decision to outsource Facilities Management in prisons to Amey and Carillion in 2014.

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the savings accrued to his Department were as a result of the decision to outsource Facilities Management in prisons to Amey and Carillion in each year since the start of that contract.

Dr Phillip Lee: As stated in the 2016-17 National Offender Management Service Annual Report, the contracting exercise “exposed that historically the costs of maintenance and services were not clearly understood by the business and consequently planning assumptions have not held true.”

Prison Officers: Working Hours

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much was spent from the public purse on (a) hotels and (b) other expenses for prison officers on detached duty in each year since 2010.

Dr Phillip Lee: Detached duty is one of the sensible and proportionate measures we take to cover resourcing pressures and ensure we run safe and decent regimes in prisons as well as being able to respond appropriately to any operational issues that arise. The information on the HMPPS central accounting system is not recorded in a format that allows the disaggregation of hotel and other expenses costs for prison officer grades on detached duty without incurring disproportionate cost. To collate the information requested, we would need to identify those prison officers on detached duty and cross reference and examine expenses records for each year since 2010. This would exceed the Department’s cost limit of £850 for answering a parliamentary question. We estimate a minimum cost of around £6,000 to extract and collate this information separately.

Prisons: Closures

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, on how many occasions wings of publicly-owned prisons were closed due to insufficient staff levels in December 2017.

Dr Phillip Lee: The information obtained could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. This Government is fully committed to making our prisons safe and is actively taking the measures necessary to ensure that. We are giving prisons and Governors every possible support. We are boosting the number of prison officers by 2,500; and we are also giving officers the tools they need to manage violent offenders – investing in body-worn cameras, new style handcuffs and piloting PAVA incapacitant spray.

Carillion

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, which companies Carillion subcontracted elements of its prison maintenance work to; when each of those elements were subcontracted to which prisons; and what the nature was of the work so subcontracted to each of those prisons.

Dr Phillip Lee: The companies subcontracted by Carillion and the work completed by each is detailed within the below table. Information on when the elements were subcontracted are not held centrally SupplierNature of WorkBIFFAWaste - general, recycled and classifiedPHS GROUP PLCClinical Waste, WashroomADT FIRE & SECURITY PLCFire Alarms, general alarms, CCTV, cell call and PIDSVIGIL SECURITY LIMITEDFire Alarms, general alarms, CCTV, cell call and PIDS - IOW onlyPROTEC FIRE DETECTION PLCFire Alarms, general alarms, CCTV, cell call and PIDS - selected sites onlyKRONOS THREAT MANAGEMENT LIMITEDCCTV internal and external - Dover, Cookham Wood, Elmley and Swaleside onlyRELIANCE HIGH-TECH LIMITEDSpecialist Equipment and CCTV (Belmarsh)ADT/Protec/Static Systems GroupVESDA systemsECLIPSE DIGITAL SOLUTIONS LIMITEDPerimeter Instrution Detection Systems (PIDS) High Security onlyECLIPSE DIGITAL SOLUTIONS LIMITEDPerimeter Instrution Detection Systems (PIDS) - balance of estateSTATIC SYSTEMS GROUP PLCFire Alarms, General Alarms and Cell Call - selected sites onlyCavnanagh ConsultingFire DoorsTPSCondition SurveysBRITISH GAS SERVICES (COMMERCIAL)Boiler Servicing and Controls (Permanent)Industrial Boiler ServicesBoiler Servicing and Controls (Permanent) - selected sites onlyIndustrial Boiler ServicesSteam BoilersENER G COMBINED POWER LIMITEDCombined Heat and Power PlantAQUATRONIC GROUP MANAGEMENT PLCPressurisation Unit MaintenanceDEMMA SERVICES LTDBuilding Management SystemsAVONWOOD DEVELOPMENTS LIMITEDKey Tagging SystemALLHYD COM LIMITEDDoor Jacking MaintenanceCarillion HVHV EquipmentBRIGGS EQUIPMENT UK LTDMEWPS, Forklifts and Heavy plantFLORA-TEC LIMITEDGrounds Internal/ExternalFLORA-TEC LIMITEDGrittingHowlett Hygienic Services LtdKitchen deep cleansHowlett Hygienic Services LtdDuct cleaningHowlett Hygienic Services LtdLEV TestsCOLT INTERNATIONAL LIMITEDSmoke VentsPHS ComplianceFWTPHS CompliancePAT testingPHS ComplianceRCD TestingASSA ABLOY LIMITED T/A TRAKAIntelligent Lockers and Key ManagementCLEARWATER TECHNOLOGY LIMITEDWater Management - L8 and TreatmentCLEARWATER TECHNOLOGY LIMITEDWater Management - L8 and Treatment - Legionella SamplingCONTRACT FIRE SYSTEMS LIMITEDMechanical FireProtecMechanical Fire (Belmarsh only)CONTRACT FIRE SYSTEMS LIMITEDsprinkler systemsAirmecFire dampersCONTRACT FIRE SYSTEMS LIMITEDdry/wet risersSUREFIRE SERVICES LTDAnsulsTURNER ENGINE POWERED SERVICES LIMITEDGeneratorsYORKSHIRE DIESEL POWER LIMITEDGenerators HS sites onlyYorkshire DieselGenerators HS onlyKONE PLCVehicle Barriers/Auto Doors/ Gates/roller shutters/ turnstiles, Speed ControlFOLKNOLL GROUP LIMITEDVehicle Barriers/Auto Doors/ Gates/roller shutters/ turnstiles, Speed ControlBilfingerVehicle Barriers/Auto Doors/ Gates/roller shutters/ turnstiles, Speed ControlDETECTNOLOGY UK LTDMetal Detectors, BOSS Chair, X-ray systemsCOLDCONTROL SERVICES LIMITEDAC, Refrigeration and ChillersE JORDON REFRIGERATION LIMITEDAC & Refrigeration 3 HS sitesSCHINDLER LIMITEDLiftsPTSG ELECTRICAL SERVICES LIMITEDLightning ConductorsRENTOKIL INITIAL UK LTD T/A RENTOKIL PEST CONTROLPest/Specialist HygieneTURNER ENGINE POWERED SERVICES LIMITEDUPSYorkshire DieselUPS (HS only)CAMPBELL AND KENNEDY LIMITEDTV SignalADVANCED MACHINERY SERVICES LIMITEDCarpenters machine shop equipmentAllianzFall arrest inspectionsMOTIVAIR COMPRESSORS LIMITEDAir CompressorsUNILINK SOFTWARE LIMITEDBiometrics interfacesWILLOW PUMPS LIMITEDSewage Pump MaintenancePENDRICH HEIGHT SERVICES LIMITEDChimney SurveysDETECTNOLOGY UK LTDmobile phone blocking equipmentDETECTNOLOGY UK LTDCellsense poles and handheld metal detectorsCLEARWATER TECHNOLOGY LIMITEDwater distribution - RPZ valve maintenanceMONTHIND CLEAN LLPgeneral cleaning - subcontract - Monthind - Warren Hill and Hollesley BayHI SPEC FACILITIES SERVICES PLCgeneral cleaning - subcontract - Hi Spec LittelheyDEDMAN CONTRACT SERVICES LIMITEDgeneral cleaning - subcontract - Dedmans - LeyhillARAMARK LTDgeneral cleaning - subcontract - Aramark Wooodhill onlyMARK DURANT CLEANING LLP T/AS MDCLEANgeneral cleaning MD Clean - Rochester and Cookham WoodParagon Servicesgeneral cleaning Paragon - Guys MarshBiffaCompacting equipmentFOLKNOLL GROUP LIMITEDNight SanitationRainHarvesting Ltd proposedRain water harvestingWILLOW PUMPS LIMITEDdosing pumps for sewerage sumpsEden Springswater coolers - free standingCarillion BreatheEnergy ManagementHAMMER HEAD HYGIENE LIMITEDgeneral & Specialist cleaningEDENBECK LIMITED-UB82RA(M)ZCRWNM& E LabourGOWING AND HUNT LIMITED CB62HF(M)CRWNM& E LabourMILGAS SERVICES LTD - MM& E LabourR E GOLDSMITH T/A FIRSTMECH-PO303ER(M)ZCRWNM& E LabourCHUBB FIRE & SECURITY LIMITEDFire and SecurityADCOCK REFRIGERATION & AIR CONAir conditioning and Refridgerated equipmentAJAR-TEC LIMITEDTV SignalAPT CONTROLS LIMITEDBarriers and controlsCLARET CIVIL ENGINEERING LIMITEDCivils repair works and PipeworkCLEAR DRAINS (UK) LTDDrainageDIAL A ROD ENGINEERING SERVICES LIMITEDDrainageDELRON SERVICES LIMITEDGas boiler services and Project worksDYNO ROD LIMITED ZSL45GD(S)CRODrainageESG ASBESTOS LIMITEDasbestos surveysMETRO ROD LIMITED ZWD61TE(S)CRDrainagePAKAWASTE ENGINEERING SERVICESCompacting equipment repairQUADRANT SECURITY GROUP LIMITECCTV @ SwalesideLANES GROUPDrainageDRUMMOND HEATING LIMITEDHeatingTRS LIMITEDAir conditioning and Refridgerated equipmentSURVEY ROOFING GROUP LIMITEDroofing repairsWESSEX FIRE AND SECURITY LIMITFire and Security @ Guys MarshSSE ContractingGeneral M&ESPM DENTAL EQUIPMENT ENGINEERSDental Equipment repairsSMP PIPE SYSTEMS LIMITEDHeating and boiler repairsSHEPPY GLASS CENTRE LIMITEDglazingSCCI ALPHATRACK LIMITEDTV SIGNALSAFETY KLEEN UK LIMITED-TW89ES(M)Catering EquipmentSAACKE COMBUSTION SERVICES LTDSteam BoilersLITTLEWOOD FENCING LIMITED ZTNfencingHYDROPAYNE SERVICES LIMITEDAir CompressorsHESIS LIMITED (M)Fire and securityGUNNEBO UK LIMITED TN221QU(M)CAuto doorsG & E AUTOMATIC EQUIPMENT LIMILaundry EquipmentELECTRICAL WASTE RECYCLING GROWEE DisposalARJO MED AB LIMITEDPatient hoistsAFE SERVICE LINECatering Equipment

National Probation Service for England and Wales: Pay

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many members of staff have been paid an incorrect wage in each month since the formation of the NPS.

Dr Phillip Lee: NPS payroll is administered through our third party provider – Shared Services Connect Limited who administer the service for multiple clients across the Civil Service. Statistics covering payroll accuracy are only collected and reported at Departmental level and as the National Probation Service (NPS) is a subset of HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) the information cannot be extracted for just the NPS.

Courts: ICT

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 29 January 2018 to Question 123663 on Courts: ICT, if he will publish (a) the counterparts to the contracts; (b) the performance measures have been written into the contracts and (c) the terms of the contracts.

Dr Phillip Lee: As per Cabinet Office policy, all contracts with the MoJ, throughout tender and once awarded, with a value of £10,000 or more are published in the public domain on Government Contracts Finder.

Gov Facility Services

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether the pensions of staff transferring into Gov Facility Services Limited have been carried over from previous schemes; and if he will make a statement.

Dr Phillip Lee: GFSL is applying for admitted status to the Civil Service Pension Scheme (CSPS). This means that those employees who are currently protected staff under New Fair Deal will remain in their Civil Service Pension Scheme. The remaining employees will be auto-enrolled into an appropriate defined contribution pension scheme, so that the obligations in respect of auto-enrolment will be fully met.

Community Orders: York

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people have carried out work under the Community Payback project in York in each year since 2010.

Dr Phillip Lee: Since the transition to Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) in 2014, the closest reportable area to York is Humberside, Lincolnshire & North Yorkshire CRC. To provide a consistent time series, data for the corresponding Trusts to that CRC have been provided up to, and including, the transition period during 2014. The number of offenders that have completed Community Payback (CP) Requirements, by Year, is included in the table below:  Calendar Year   Probation Provider20102011201220132014201520162017TotalCPA Humber Lincs & N Yorks1,1661,8651,6851,5746,290  Probation Trusts contiguous to CPA Humber, Lincs & N Yorks2,6822,8162,7562,340811   11,405Grand Total 2,682  2,816  2,756  2,340  1,977  1,865  1,685  1,574  17,695  'Completed' means that all hours ordered by the court were worked. Community Payback requirements that were revoked by the court, which reached the end of the operational period without being fully worked (for a Suspended Sentence or Supervision Default Order) or where the offender died or left England and Wales are not counted. An offender will be counted once in each year they complete a CP requirement, whether those requirements relate to the same sentence or different sentences. Community Payback schemes enable offenders to serve a community sentence and make reparation to communities in a constructive and suitably demanding way. Constructive work may also help offenders reform by re-integrating back into the community through more intensive rehabilitation.

Dangerous Driving: Sentencing

Eddie Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice,when he plans to bring forward legislative proposals to introduce life sentences for people who cause death by dangerous driving; and if he will make a statement.

Dr Phillip Lee: The Government is committed to making sure that the courts have sufficient powers to deal with driving offences appropriately and proportionately. We will bring forward proposals for changes in the law as soon as parliamentary time allows. These proposals will take account of, and incorporate, all of government’s proposals for safer roads, including the Department of Transport’s review of cycle safety.

Prisoners: Exercise

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans his Department has to encourage prisoners to be more physically active as part of their rehabilitation.

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department plans to take steps to increase the number of physical activity opportunities available to young people in youth offender institutions.

Dr Phillip Lee: Participation in physical activity has an important role in improving the health and well-being of offenders, as well as helping their prospects for effective rehabilitation. There are widespread opportunities for offenders to participate in physical activity in custody, ranging from in-house provision of sport and PE to programmes and activities offered by professional sports clubs and voluntary and community groups. The Ministry of Justice has commissioned Professor Rosie Meek and the National Alliance for Sport and the Desistance of Crime (NASDC) to undertake a review of the provision of sport and PE in youth justice. Although this review is focused on the youth justice system it will collate evidence and best practice to inform recommendations for how future delivery of physical activity in custody may be improved.

Refugees: Legal Aid Scheme

Layla Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will reintroduce legal aid for refugee family reunion cases; and if he will make a statement.

Dr Phillip Lee: The Government has announced the start of the review into the legal aid reforms made as a result of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO). The review will include an assessment of the changes to the scope of legal aid for Immigration cases and will report later this year.

Berwyn Prison

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many adjudications have taken place at HMP Berwyn since its opening.

Dr Phillip Lee: Since opening in Spring 2017, there have been 626 adjudications at HMP Berwyn. Discipline procedures are central to the maintenance of a safe, decent and rehabilitative custodial environment. They are provided for by the Prison and Young Offender Institution Rules, which require adjudications to be conducted lawfully, fairly and justly. Independent Adjudicators are District Judges or Deputy District Judges who attend prisons and young offender institutions when necessary to hear those adjudication cases which are deemed to be sufficiently serious. If found guilty, such cases may merit a sentence of additional days to a person’s time spent in custody. Only Independent Adjudicators can make an award of additional days. The most serious offences will be referred to the Police.

Berwyn Prison

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many incidents have been referred to the police from HMP Berwyn since its opening.

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many incidents at height have occurred at HMP Berwyn since its opening.

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many incidents of concerted indiscipline have occurred at HMP Berwyn since its opening.

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what information his Department holds on the number of dirty protests which have occurred at HMP Berwyn since its opening.

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many fires have occurred at HMP Berwyn since its opening.

Dr Phillip Lee: HMP Berwyn is performing well since it opened last year, and represents a key part of our £1.3billion investment to reform and modernise the prison estate. We know more must be done to improve safety across the estate, which is why we introduced body-worn cameras and additional CCTV, and have invested £100m to recruit 2,500 extra officers. The number of concerted indiscipline, incidents at height, fires and dirty protests taking place at HMP Berwyn can be found in the table below: Number of incidentsConcerted Indiscipline16Incident At Height67Fire217Dirty protest331) All low level incidents2) Includes 2 fire related incidents that were false alarms3) To provide incidents of dirty protest, Miscellaneous type incidents were read to determine whether the incident should be counted as such and therefore contain an element of subjective judgement. Data Sources and Quality These figures have been drawn from the HMPPS Incident Reporting System. Care is taken when processing and analysing the returns but the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system. Although the figures are shown to the last case the figures may not be accurate to that level. Since opening in Spring 2017, local data from within HMP Berwyns Security department has recorded 167 referrals to North Wales Police. HMP Berwyn is committed to working with all Criminal Justice partners across Wales.

Berwyn Prison

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many times the command suite has been opened to deal with incidents at HMP Berwyn since that prison's opening.

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many times the National Tactical Response Group has been contacted to deal with incidents at HMP Berwyn since that prison's opening.

Dr Phillip Lee: Since opening in Spring 2017, the Gold command suite (based in London) has not been opened for any incidents at HMP Berwyn. HMP Berwyn has opened the local command suite (Silver) for a total of 4 occasions. All incidents were managed locally. The National Tactical Response Group (NTRG) has been contacted on 3 occasions regarding incidents at HMP Berwyn, on one occurrence they were stood down prior to arriving at the Prison.

Crime: Victims

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, in how many qualifying cases of victims eligible for the victims contact scheme was no statement provided by a witness or victim before a sentencing or parole decision.

Dr Phillip Lee: The victim personal statement (VPS) provides victims with a valuable opportunity to tell the Court or Parole Board in their own words how the crime has affected them and their family, and in the case of the Parole Board, what the impact of a prisoner’s release or move to open conditions would have on them. Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service does not hold centrally data on the number of victims who either made a VPS at the point of sentence or who made a VPS to the Parole Board and who qualified for the statutory Victim Contact Scheme. The data could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. On 9 January, the Secretary of State for Justice, the Rt Hon David Gauke MP, announced in a statement to the House that he would review the case for transparency in the process for parole decisions, how victims are communicated with, and how they are appropriately engaged in that process.

Family Courts: Domestic Violence

Jess Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many child contact cases involving incidents of domestic abuse where there (a) has and (b) has not been a conviction have been repeatedly brought before the family courts.

Dr Phillip Lee: The Ministry of Justice does not hold the requested data. The President of the Family Division recently revised the practice direction which sets out the procedure for family judges to follow when dealing with child arrangement cases where domestic abuse is alleged. This makes clear that judges must take appropriate steps to explore any allegations of domestic abuse and give full regard to the impact of any abuse when making a child arrangement order.

Family Courts: Domestic Violence

Jess Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to tackle the use of the family courts system by perpetrators of domestic abuse as a tool for continuing their abuse.

Dr Phillip Lee: It is unacceptable for someone to use court processes to harass or abuse a former partner. The family court has wide powers to manage such situations. New family court rules were introduced last November to make sure vulnerable court users get the support they need in the courtroom. Training for judges, on this and other matters, is the responsibility of the Lord Chief Justice and is carried out by the Judicial College. At the specific request of the President of the Family Division every family judge in England and Wales will have received training on how to address the challenges faced by vulnerable people in the courts by April 2018. Issues of domestic abuse are regularly addressed on an ongoing basis as part of the training for family judges. The Government is also committed to legislating to give family courts the power to stop abusers from cross-examining their victims in person in family proceedings.

Aiding and Abetting

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether (a) he, (b) Ministers of his Department and (c) official in his Department have held meetings with external stakeholders on the joint enterprise in the last six months.

Dr Phillip Lee: No meetings have taken place in the last six months, between Ministry of Justice Ministers or officials, and external stakeholders on joint enterprise.

Courts

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to paragraph 5.21 on page 49 of his Department's consultation, Fit for the future: transforming the court and tribunal estate, what the evidential basis is for the conclusion that the proposed strategy will have no direct impact on service delivery.

Dr Phillip Lee: In the recently published; Fit for the Future: transforming the court and tribunal estate consultation document, HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) set out its proposed future strategy and approach to court and tribunal estate reform. This was set within the wider context of work to modernise services, and outlined the ways in which technology and new ways of working can be utilised to make the justice system more accessible, efficient and flexible. The paragraph referred to relates to equalities assessments. These assessments are made when there are specific and measureable proposals against which assessments can be made. The strategic consultation published invites views on our proposed principles which will guide future decisions on the estate but it does not contain specific proposals for changes to the estate. We will conduct equalities assessments on any future specific proposals when we consult publicly on such changes.

Ministry of Justice: Contracts

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department has contingency plans in place for the event that a private contractor to the Department becomes unable to perform the duties under that contract.

Dr Phillip Lee: Contracts let by the department have contingency plans in place as part of standard contract management practices. Plans are reviewed on a regular basis through the life of the contract and updated as necessary in response to any changing circumstances.

John Worboys

Sir Vince Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he or his Department has made recommendations in respect of license conditions to be imposed on John Worboys upon his release; and if he will make a statement.

Dr Phillip Lee: The Secretary of State asked the National Probation Service (NPS) and the Police through the Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements for assurances that the views of victims were being taken into account and that robust licensing conditions would be sought to manage Worboys’ risk. Officials subsequently, on 2 February, put forward a request for variation of licence conditions in the case of Worboys to the Parole Board. This comprised requests for variations to licence conditions put forward by the National Probation Service and included all representations made by victims of the offences of which Worboys was convicted.

Prisons: Repairs and Maintenance

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 2 February 2018 to Question 125576 on Prisons: Repairs and Maintenance, what the average defined cost was for (a) replacing a broken window, (b) replacing a lock, (c) cleaning up a spillage, (d) fixing a toilet seat and (e) screening a shower in 2017.

Dr Phillip Lee: The Department doesn’t keep a record of the average cost for these work items due to the disparate nature of the work required for each type of repair. As stated in the answer to Question 125576, the Department closely reviews defined costs to ensure that they are at open market value and offer the Department value for money.

Amey and Carillion

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 2 February 2018 to Question 125576, how much did the Government pay (a) Carillion and (b) Amey for (i) repairs due to the wear and tear being over £750 and (ii) repairs required due to vandalism in each year since 2015.

Dr Phillip Lee: The Department doesn’t record this information in this manner, the information requested could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost.

Amey and Carillion

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 2 February to Question 125576, on how many occasions the Government paid (a) Carillion and (b) Amey for (i) repairs due to wear and tear over £750 and (ii) repairs required due to vandalism in each year since 2015.

Dr Phillip Lee: The Department doesn’t record this information in this manner, the information requested could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost.

Birmingham Prison: Civil Disorder

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 25 January 2018 to Question 123578, for what reason his Department does not intend to publish the report into the riot at HMP Birmingham in December 2016.

Dr Phillip Lee: This internal report contains in-depth details of the safety and security procedures at HMP Birmingham which, if released, could compromise security arrangements at the establishment. Therefore, disclosure of this report would not be appropriate.

Ministry of Defence

Ministry of Defence: Public Expenditure

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's single departmental plan, published on 14 December 2017, how much Planned Expenditure on Equipment and Support is not included in his Department's Equipment Plan.

Guto Bebb: The Single Departmental Plan presents figures for planned expenditure on equipment and support between 2016 and 2026. These figures accurately reflect planned expenditure on equipment and support as set out in Defence Equipment Plan 2016. More up to date plans are now available in the Defence Equipment Plan 2017 which is available on the GOV.UK website at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-defence-equipment-plan-2017

National Security

Sir Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of whether Russian companies listed on the London Stock Exchange and supplying raw materials such as aluminium to Russia represent a threat to the UK's national interests and security; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Lancaster: The Ministry of Defence has conducted no such assessment, and I cannot comment on assessments performed by the security services.

Department for Work and Pensions

Occupational Pensions: Females

James Frith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department as made of the financial effect on low paid women who have not been automatically enrolled into a workplace pension.

James Frith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has made an assessment of the effect on workers with multiple jobs, none of which pay in excess of £10,000 per annum, of not being automatically enrolled into workplace pensions.

Guy Opperman: Automatic enrolment has reversed the decline in workplace pension saving. Latest figures show that nearly 9.2 million people have been automatically enrolled; with participation amongst eligible women in the private sector increasing, from 40% to 73%, to equal the rate for men. By 2019/20 an estimated extra £20 billion a year is estimated to go into workplace pensions as a result of automatic enrolment. In addition the Government have introduced the National Living Wage and raised the personal tax allowance helping low earners. Thanks to these changes, a single person working 35 hours per week would take home £12,500 after income tax and national insurance – over £3,300 more than in 2010. The Government’s recent review of automatic enrolment, which can be viewed at https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/668971/automatic-enrolment-review-2017-maintaining-the-momentum.PDF, set out proposals to strengthen the workplace pension reforms, including for lower earners. By removing the lower earnings limit for those with low earnings or who have multiple jobs, those workers will have their pension contributions calculated from the first pound earned. In addition, all savers will be able to get an employer contribution regardless of their earnings. This will bring an extra £2.6 billion per year into pension saving.

Personal Independence Payment: Motor Neurone Disease

Jo Platt: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people with motor neurone disease were awarded personal independence payment at (a) the enhanced rate for daily living and mobility, (b) the standard rate for daily living and the enhanced rate for mobility, (c) the standard rate for mobility and the enhanced rate for daily living and (d) the standard rate for daily living and mobility between 6 April 2016 and 5 April 2017.

Sarah Newton: The table below shows the number of people awarded Personal Independence Payment (PIP) with motor neurone disease, as recorded on the PIP Computer System, that were awarded either one or both of the Mobility and Daily living rates of PIP between 6th April 2016 and 5th April 2017. Table showing number of people awarded PIP by award level between 6th April 2016 and 5th April 2017 with main disabling condition recorded as Motor Neurone Disease.PIP Daily Living Award TypePIP Current Mobility Award TypeMobility Award - EnhancedMobility Award - StandardDaily Living - Enhanced65040Daily Living - Standard4030 Source: PIP Computer System. Notes:Figures are based on the first outcome recorded for each case and include both new claims and DLA reassessment claims assessed under both normal rules and special rules.Data has been rounded to the nearest 10 cases; totals less than 5 but greater than 0 are indicated by “#”.This is unpublished data and it should be used with caution and it may be subject to future revision.Data is based on main disabling condition as recorded on the PIP computer system. Claimants may often have multiple disabling conditions upon which the decision is based but only the primary condition is shown in these statistics.Data taken from the PIP computer system’s management information.Figures are for Great Britain only.

Social Security Benefits

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of new claims for jobseeker's allowance and employment and support allowance were processed within five days in 2017.

Alok Sharma: The information requested is set out in the table below. As the Department’s performance measure is to process claims to JSA and ESA within 10 working days, this information is also included.Claims Processed in 5 working daysTotal Claims Processed% of Claims Processed in 5 working daysClaims Processed in 10 working days% of Claims Processed in 10 working daysJobseekers Allowance (JSA)263,610934,86028.2%824,68088.21%Employment & Support Allowance (ESA)388,030691,93056.1%588,28085.02% Notes: The period the data covers is from 1st January 2017 to 31st December 2017.All volumes are rounded to the nearest 10.The data provided relates to the initial Employment and Support Allowance assessment phase prior to the Work Capability Assessment.Source: Management Information System Programme (MISP). MISP is a Departmental performance management, data capture and reporting tool. This type of internal management information does not form part of the official statistics outputs that are released by the Department in accordance with the UK Statistics Authority’s Code of Practice.

Social Security Benefits: Cryptocurrencies

Eddie Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the GovCoin trial; and what plans her Department has for the future use of that technology.

Kit Malthouse: A small proof-of-concept trial was undertaken in 2016. The trial was led by Universal Credit officials who worked with DISC Holdings (formerly Govcoin) to trial an app on a mobile phone that customers could use to receive and manage benefit payments. The trial provided valuable insight into customer needs, and this was used to inform the decision to develop a future method of payment strategy that outlines DWP’s commitment to improving the methods available to make payments to customers. The Department is currently working with industry to identify new and emerging payment opportunities that suit the needs of DWP and its customers, in support of the future strategy.

State Retirement Pensions: British Nationals Abroad

Mr George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 29 January 2018 to Question 124527, whether people living in the UK who are not of pensionable age who then move to an EU country will have their pension uprated.

Guy Opperman: A UK national resident in the UK on the specified date who then seeks to move to an EU27 MS after the specified date is in scope of the Withdrawal Agreement for the purpose of state pension uprating if they have been subject to the legislation of an EU27 MS prior to the specified date. We will want to discuss in future talks state pension uprating for individuals who are not covered by the Withdrawal Agreement.

Universal Credit: Prescriptions

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps are being taken to inform universal credit claimants of their eligibility for free NHS prescriptions.

Alok Sharma: Universal Credit claimants are informed of their potential entitlement to support with NHS charges (such as prescriptions, dental costs and sight tests) via their monthly payment statements. Additionally, information about the eligibility for support with NHS charges is ultimately a matter for the Department of Health and Social Care and, where a claimant lives in Scotland, the Scottish Government.

Social Security Benefits: Disqualification

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what information her Department holds on the number of claimants of (a) jobseekers allowance and (b) universal credit have been sanctioned as a result of a failure to attend mandated English lessons.

Alok Sharma: The information requested is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. The available information on Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) and Universal Credit (UC) sanction decisions by referral reason, is published every quarter and can be found at:https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/ Guidance on how to extract the information required can be found at:https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html For JSA, failure to attend English lessons would be included in the general referral reason ‘Other Employment Programmes’ under the sub-category reason of ‘Failure to attend a place on a training scheme or employment programme without good reason’. For UC, failure to attend English lessons would come under the general referral reason ‘Employment Programmes’ under the sub-category reason of ‘Failure to participate in an employment programme’.

Children: Maintenance

Jess Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has read the report by Gingerbread published on 12 January 2018 which states that the majority of single parents do not receive child maintenance payments.

Kit Malthouse: Officials have read Gingerbread’s report and continue to work closely with a range of external stakeholders when developing policy. The analysis of child maintenance payments referred to in the report is based on data collected in 2011/12, so predates the introduction of the reformed child maintenance scheme in 2013. We want to ensure that children from all separated families have an effective maintenance arrangement. Child Maintenance Options provides free and impartial information to support parents to make arrangements that work for them.

Department for Work and Pensions: Child Care Vouchers

Stephanie Peacock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many employees of her Department make use of the childcare vouchers scheme.

Kit Malthouse: Currently there are 1811 employees using the Childcare Voucher (Salary Sacrifice) scheme in the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

Universal Credit: Ealing

Dr Rupa Huq: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in the (a) London Borough of Ealing and (b) Ealing Central and Acton constituency were eligible for universal credit on 1 January 2018.

Alok Sharma: The latest available information on the number of people on Universal Credit by parliamentary constituency and local authority is published and can be found at:https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/. Guidance on how to extract the information required can be found at:https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html

Universal Credit

Dr Rupa Huq: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average time is after an application is submitted for universal credit before the first payment is received for claimants in (a) London and (b) the UK.

Alok Sharma: The Department’s data on payment timeliness is not available by area or region. The assessment period and payment structure of Universal Credit creates a fixed period between date of entitlement and the first payment. However advances of up to 100% of a claimant’s indicative award are available straight away. Most new claims to Universal Credit Full Service have their entitlement to Universal Credit calculated within 31 days of submitting their application. The assessment period runs for a full calendar month from the date of entitlement and the Universal Credit pay date is up to 7 calendar days after the end of the assessment period. Our latest research shows that around 80% of new claims are paid in full and on time. The Department’s internal data shows that for those cases where full payment has not been made, around a sixth have not signed their Claimant Commitment or passed identity checks, and the others have outstanding verification issues such as housing, self-employed earnings and childcare costs. Many of these claimants receive a part payment for those elements of the claim that have been verified.

Universal Credit: Standard of Living

Dr Rupa Huq: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the effect on living standards of universal credit claimants repaying advance payments.

Alok Sharma: No assessment has been made of how advances interact with living standards. This is because advances are designed to meet a claimant’s immediate short term financial need and are not intended to address living standards. However, Universal Credit advances can be paid to a claimant on the same day in an emergency to prevent them falling into financial hardship. In addition regulations are also in place to protect claimants from excessive benefit deductions.

Universal Credit: Publicity

Dr Rupa Huq: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to publicise information to claimants eligible for universal credit who do not have internet access.

Alok Sharma: An error has been identified in the written answer given on 07 February 2018.The correct answer should have been:

The attached table shows all the contracts DWP currently holds with Capita including the total value of the contracts. Our data shows that over 99% of claimants using the Universal Credit Full Service make their claim online. The Department uses multiple channels to publicise information for claimants about Universal Credit. These include: Posters and leaflets in jobcentres, including a recent campaign to raise awareness about availability of advances. Working closely with stakeholder organisations (many of whom interact with claimants, face to face and by telephone). This also includes working with local authorities as part of our on-going partnership to improve digital access and capability. Playing short videos in Post Offices and GP surgeries in high claimant areas, and also advertising in transport hubs and shopping precinct locations. To further support claimants without internet access, all jobcentres across the country have Wi-Fi and computers available, including 8000 additional computers installed to support the introduction of Universal Credit. This provides access to digital channels in every jobcentre for claimants to use when they do not have access at home. A telephone helpline and face to face support are also available for claimants to make and manage a Universal Credit claim.


Capita Contracts
(Word Document, 14.95 KB)

Kit Malthouse: The attached table shows all the contracts DWP currently holds with Capita including the total value of the contracts. Our data shows that over 99% of claimants using the Universal Credit Full Service make their claim online. The Department uses multiple channels to publicise information for claimants about Universal Credit. These include: Posters and leaflets in jobcentres, including a recent campaign to raise awareness about availability of advances. Working closely with stakeholder organisations (many of whom interact with claimants, face to face and by telephone). This also includes working with local authorities as part of our on-going partnership to improve digital access and capability. Playing short videos in Post Offices and GP surgeries in high claimant areas, and also advertising in transport hubs and shopping precinct locations. To further support claimants without internet access, all jobcentres across the country have Wi-Fi and computers available, including 8000 additional computers installed to support the introduction of Universal Credit. This provides access to digital channels in every jobcentre for claimants to use when they do not have access at home. A telephone helpline and face to face support are also available for claimants to make and manage a Universal Credit claim.


Capita Contracts
(Word Document, 14.95 KB)

Universal Credit

Dr Rupa Huq: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to offer additional support and guidance to hon. Members and their staff while their constituencies transition to universal credit.

Alok Sharma: We continue to invite Hon. Members to visit jobcentres within their constituencies and we write to all Hon. Members before jobcentres in their constituencies roll out to Universal Credit Full Service. As well as providing the name and contact details of the Senior Operational Leader in their area, who is available to answer any questions about the service in their Jobcentre(s), these letters provide a series of guides and online links that their offices may find helpful in assisting constituents. Additionally, we have also run information sessions on Universal Credit for both Hon. Members and Peers, which provided the opportunity to speak with Ministers and Senior Officials within the Department.

Department for Work and Pensions: Land

Jack Lopresti: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much land (a) her Department, (b) its agencies and (c) its non-departmental public bodies owns in (i) England and (ii) the South West; and how much of that land has been identified as being surplus to requirements.

Kit Malthouse: The Department does not own any land. Agencies of the Department do not own any land. The Department’s only non-departmental public body to own any land is HSE. HSE’s land holding in England is 2,245,585 metres2 of which none is in the South West and none has been identified as surplus.

State Retirement Pensions

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department plans to increase the state pension; and if she will make a statement.

Guy Opperman: On 27 November 2017, the Minister for Family Support, Housing and Child Maintenance announced in a Written Statement to Parliament that the Government would increase the full basic and new State Pensions by 3 per cent in 2018/19 in line with the rate of prices growth as measured by the Consumer Price Index. The annual uprating order which is currently going through the Parliamentary processes includes proposals to enact this increase. This is in line with Government’s commitment for the duration of this Parliament to increase these state pensions by the Triple Lock: that is the highest of the growth in prices, earnings or 2.5 per cent.

State Retirement Pensions

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many meetings she has held with external stakeholders on the rates of state pension since her appointment.

Kit Malthouse: The Secretary of State has not had any meetings with stakeholders on the rates of the state pension since her appointment. The Government engages with a wide range of stakeholders about pension rates, and the Secretary of State reviews these rates annually.

Self-employed: Pensions

James Frith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of compelling self-employed people to contribute to a private pension.

Guy Opperman: The Department’s review of automatic enrolment (AE), Maintaining the Momentum, published in December 2017 sets out the Government’s position in regard to the self-employed and retirement saving. The review report can be viewed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/668971/automatic-enrolment-review-2017-maintaining-the-momentum.PDF The self-employed represent a highly diverse group of around 15% of the workforce amongst whom pension coverage varies significantly. Our review recognised that a significant proportion of the 4.8m self-employed individuals in the UK have good levels of saving and preparation for later life – but many groups are under saving, or at risk of under saving for retirement Compulsion would be an indiscriminate way of tackling this challenge. It would also fail to maximise behavioural learning from automatic enrolment, or recognise personal choice.As the AE review sets out, our approach is based on applying learning from the principles and the successful roll-out of automatic enrolment to appropriately target interventions and understand what works. During this year, we have committed to test targeted interventions, following feasibility work – before setting out proposals to implement workable solutions at scale.

Universal Credit: Homelessness

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he has made an estimate of the number of homeless people in full-service universal credit areas (a) before and (b) after the roll-out of universal credit.

Kit Malthouse: The Department has not made an estimate of the number of homeless people in full service areas. We do not hold data on homelessness at a postcode or Jobcentre Plus level, which would be necessary to inform such an estimate. Data on homelessness by local authority level is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/homelessness-statistics. However, DWP have played an active role in developing the Homelessness Case Level Information Collection tool and is committed to continually supporting the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to improve its data collection system for statistical and research purposes. More information on this is available at https://gss.civilservice.gov.uk/statistics/working-with-users/dclg-homelessness-statistics-user-forum/. In addition, from October 2018, Jobcentres across England will have a legal duty to refer homeless people, and those at risk of becoming homeless, to a local authority housing team of the claimant’s choice. This duty will help claimants access homelessness services as soon as possible, allowing local authorities to focus on prevention.

Personal Independence Payment: Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people with inflammatory bowel disease applied for mandatory reconsideration of their claim for personal independence payments in each of the last four years.

Sarah Newton: The table below shows the number of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) mandatory reconsideration (MR) registrations for people with a primary disabling condition of inflammatory bowel disease, by financial year of MR registration. Data is based on primary disabling condition as recorded on the PIP computer system. Claimants may often have multiple disabling conditions upon which the decision is based but only the primary condition is shown in these statistics. Therefore, there may be other claimants who have been diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease who are not captured in the data. Number of PIP MR registrations for people with a primary disabling condition of inflammatory bowel disease, by financial year of MR registration. Financial year of MR registrationNumber of MR registrations for people with a primary disabling condition of inflammatory bowel disease2013/141202014/ 151,1202015/ 161,4702016/ 171,7802017/18 (April 17 to Oct 17)1,010Total5,390 Data has been rounded to the nearest 10. Latest available data to October 2017.

Employment: Learning Disability

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of support made available by employers for workers with learning difficulties.

Sarah Newton: We know that people with learning difficulties have often not been well supported in employment. In Improving Lives: The Future of Work, Health and Disability, we published our analysis of Labour Force Survey (LFS) estimates that working-age disabled people with a reported main health condition of a learning difficulty (including people with a learning disability) have an employment rate of 24%. Making a step change in the life chances of people with learning difficulties, and learning disabilities, is a cross-Government priority. Improving Lives describes the measures we have taken so far and lays out our strategy for the future, including improvements to apprenticeships, education and employment support. The details may be read here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/improving-lives-the-future-of-work-health-and-disabilityMany leading employers do already create inclusive, healthy workplaces where people can thrive, and our vision is for this to become normal practice for all employers.When employers sign up as Disability Confident they are asked to make specific meaningful offers of opportunities for disabled people such as jobs, apprenticeships, internships, and work experience opportunities. 5,550 businesses are currently signed up to Disability Confident, and this number is growing rapidly.Access to Work provides practical and financial support for the additional costs faced by individuals whose health or disability affects the way they do their job. Access to Work has a Hidden Impairment Specialist Team which specialises in supporting people with learning difficulties, mental health conditions, learning disabilities and other less visible disabilities.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Recycling: EU Action

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the Government’s policy is on the proposed common EU target to recycle 65 per cent of municipal waste by 2035.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: The government is supportive of more recycling of materials and we are actively engaged in agreeing the proposals to support the Circular Economy across the EU. We are yet to receive the formal text of the outcome of the trilogue discussions and we will consider it carefully. There are several targets in the circular economy package of which the 65% recycling by weight target by 2035 is just one. As we develop the Resource and Waste Strategy we will explore whether new, more innovate targets can be developed that deliver clear benefits over those proposed by Europe. Should they be preferable, UK Government will present proposals to the UK Parliament following the UKs Exit from Europe.

Non-commercial Movement of Pet Animals Order

Wayne David: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he plans to take as a result of the post-implementation review of the Non-Commercial Movement of Pet Animals Order.

Wayne David: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with (a) animal welfare organisations and (b) UK Border Force on the post-implementation review of the Non-Commercial Movement of Pet Animals Order since the end of his Department's consultation exercise on 26 October 2016.

George Eustice: The post implementation review will evaluate the effectiveness of the Non-Commercial Movement of Pet Animals Order. A public consultation was conducted and responses published in June 2017. A final report will be published in due course. Ministers and officials have ongoing engagement with animal welfare NGOs on a range of issues including the movement of pet animals. Defra officials work with Border Force across a range of animal import matters including those covered by the review.

Floods: Insurance

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress the Government has made on devising a flood insurance scheme, along the lines of Flood Re, for the owners of small businesses.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: There are a small number of small businesses at high flood risk in recently flooded communities that struggle to access affordable insurance.A British Insurance Broker Association (BIBA) insurance product, launched in December 2016, provides flood insurance for small businesses that have struggled to access it to-date. It also provides insurance against the excess of a policy, which was taken up 1,100 times in the first 12 months.The Government is also working closely with the insurance and building industries to help support small businesses to become more resilient to flooding, stopping water entering the property and speeding recovery when it does. The Government has no plans to devise a flood insurance scheme, along the lines of Flood Re, for the owners of small businesses. There is not sufficient evidence to justify the cross subsidy that would be required of other businesses.

Plastics: Beaches

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to reduce plastic pollution on beaches.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: Studies have shown that the majority of waste plastic on beaches is made up of fragmented pieces which have been in the sea for a long time and broken down. Some of the plastic on English beaches will come from non-UK sources. The Environment Agency (EA) will work with Water Companies to improve collection of plastic in the sewerage network. The EA also works with local councils and other bodies to reduce fly tipping, including in coastal areas. I also refer the honourable Member to the reply previously given on 23 January 2018, PQ 123722, with respect to the EA’s recent announcement of £750,000 for a new, dedicated team to tackle plastics pollution in the South West of England. As part of the work of this new team the EA will encourage partnerships with groups for beach cleaning.

Agriculture: Subsidies

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, until what date is the current level of agricultural support to landowners guaranteed.

George Eustice: The government has pledged to continue to commit the same cash total in funds for farm support until the end of the parliament, expected in 2022 and to phase in a replacement scheme during a transitional period thereafter.

Scotland Office

Scotland Office: Brexit

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how much his Department plans to spend on projects relating to the UK leaving the EU in the next five years; and if he will list the projects to which that funding has been assigned.

David Mundell: HM Treasury has allocated £141,000 to the Scotland Office to provide additional resources to deal with preparations for EU exit including policy support and specialist legal advice. At Autumn Budget 2017, HM Treasury made another £3 billion of additional funding available over 18/19 and 19/20 – £1.5 billion in each year. We are currently working with HM Treasury to determine our allocation for 18/19 with the aim to agree this soon. Departmental allocations for 19/20 will be agreed later on in the year and decisions on funding in 20/21 and beyond will be decided at the next Spending Review. This is because requirements in these years will be heavily affected by what is agreed in our negotiations with the EU.

HM Treasury

Children: Day Care

Martyn Day: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reasons low earning families are not able to claim working tax credits or universal credit if they are using tax-free childcare.

Elizabeth Truss: The Government’s Childcare offer targets greater levels of support at those on lower incomes, but also offers support to parents with middle and higher incomes, who may also struggle with the cost of childcare. Childcare costs are taken into account when Universal Credit and tax credits are calculated, and these benefits offer more generous support with childcare costs (up to 70% under tax credits or up to 85% under Universal Credit) than Tax-Free Childcare to families on lower incomes. Parents who receive tax credits or Universal Credit can choose whether to continue receiving those benefits or to apply for Tax-Free Childcare. More information on the help that parents can get with childcare costs can be found at https://www.gov.uk/help-with-childcare-costs.

Football: Taxation

Eddie Hughes: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of trends in the level of tax that professional football clubs have paid on player transfers in each of the last five years.

Mel Stride: The information requested cannot be provided as it is not collated centrally by HMRC. Football transfer fees are subject to VAT according to the normal rules. Any profits made by football clubs are subject to Corporation Tax in the usual way. Payments made to players as part of their transfer, such as signing-on fees, are taxable as earnings.

Tax Avoidance: European Economic Area

Charlie Elphicke: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to ensure that UK firms are prevented from avoiding tax by merging with dormant EEA companies during and after the the implementation phase of the UK leaving the EU.

Mel Stride: The Government has taken significant steps – domestically and internationally – to ensure companies must pay the right amount of tax.The UK has consistently led international efforts to tackle multinational tax avoidance, including being at the forefront of the OECD Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) project. Leaving the European Union will not reduce our resolve to tackle these issues.We will continue to ensure that appropriate anti-avoidance protections are in place and remain effective during and after the implementation phase.

Treasury: Labour Turnover

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the rate of turnover of staff has been within his Department's Defence, Diplomacy and International Spending Team over the last five financial years.

Elizabeth Truss: The average turnover of staff over the last 5 financial years within the Defence, Diplomacy and International Spending team was 28.8%. As has been the case with successive administrations, the Treasury workforce model benefits from a significant number of secondments into and out of the department to ensure we utilise and learn from those with skills gained elsewhere. Half of all leavers in the Defence, Diplomacy and International Spending team over the last 5 Financial years were end of secondments. Information on the turnover for HM Treasury can be found in the link below:- https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-annual-report

Stocks and Shares: Sanctions

Sir Mike Penning: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to ensure that funds raised by foreign companies through initial public offerings in London do not finance companies under US and EU sanctions; and if he will make a statement.

John Glen: Her Majesty’s Government (HMG) is committed to ensuring financial sanctions are effectively implemented and enforced throughout the UK. HMG also works closely with authorities around the world to help ensure compliance with international sanctions. In its role as the UK Listing Authority (UKLA), The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is the competent authority for regulating listed companies and enforcing compliance with the UK listing regime. The FCA is responsible for assessing the eligibility of any potential issuer and approving the prospectuses published by issuers and offerors in advance of initial public offerings in London. Regulators, businesses and individuals can request advice from the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI), which is part of HM Treasury, in relation to UN, UK or EU sanctions but the decision as to whether a listing applicant and its business is suitable for listing on the London Stock Exchange is ultimately a matter for the FCA. OFSI assess all reported suspected breaches of UN, EU or UK financial sanctions and takes robust action where appropriate.

Ministry of Defence: Public Expenditure

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what structural reforms his Department requested of the Ministry of Defence as part of the 2010 Comprehensive Spending Review.

Elizabeth Truss: The 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review, published 19th October 2010, set out the government of the day’s plans for the Ministry of Defence.

Department for Exiting the European Union

Brexit

Jo Platt: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, pursuant to the Answer of 19 January 2018 to Question 122375, what information is contained within the Market Access Assessments.

Jo Platt: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, pursuant to the Answer of 10 January 2018 to Question 120796, on Department for Exiting the European Union: Brexit, what form the analysis takes and what the titles are of those assessments​.

Jo Platt: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, pursuant to the Answer of 2 February 2018 to Question 125241 on Brexit, how many different market access assessments his Department has made.

Jo Platt: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, pursuant to the Answer of 10 January 2018 to Question 120796 on Department for Exiting the European Union: Brexit, what definition his Department uses for discrete market access assessments.

Mr Robin Walker: In responding to Question 120796 we stated that our analysis does not exist in the form of “discrete market assessments” by which we meant that we do not hold a series of discrete market access Impact Assessments as defined by the Better Regulation Executive.However, we have conducted a range of quantitative and qualitative analysis looking at 58 sectors of the economy, as set out in our response to the Lords EU External Affairs Sub-Committee report “Brexit: Trade in Goods” which can be found at: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201617/ldselect/ldeucom/129/129.pdf. As the Secretary of State set out in his Written Ministerial Statement of 7 November, this analysis is contained in a range of documents developed at different times since the referendum.As previously stated, listing the titles of all the documents that comprise market access analysis would likely impact the UK’s negotiating position by implying broader priorities of Government work. Furthermore, it is not standard practice to provide a running commentary on ongoing analysis, including titles and numbers of documents.We have published 14 detailed papers on the negotiations to date and will continue to be as open as possible subject to the overwhelming national interest of preserving our negotiating position. We have also confirmed that when we bring forward the vote on the final deal, we will ensure that the House of Commons is presented with the appropriate analysis the Government has done to make an informed decision.

Department for International Trade

United Arab Emirates: Cybercrime

Martyn Day: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, which British cyber-security companies undertaking cyber-security projects in the United Arab Emirates are funded or subsidised by the Government.

Graham Stuart: The Department for International Trade is supporting UK business to export their world-leading capability across the globe. This includes supporting the not-for-profit accreditation organisation CREST to establish a global presence, including the UAE and wider Gulf.

Exports: Libya

Stephen Metcalfe: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, with reference to the Answer of 26 October 2011 to Question 76106 on Exports: Libya, what progress the Government has made on providing assistance to small and medium-sized enterprises owed money for goods supplied to Libyan customers prior to the conflict in that country in 2011.

Graham Stuart: The UK Government is engaged in dialogue with the Libyan Government of National Accord in Libya on the issue of the recovery of assets and monies owed to British companies, including small to medium-sized enterprises, pre 2011. The Libyan authorities have expressed their commitment to finding a resolution to the issue and the UK government will continue to press for progress.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Film: Yorkshire and the Humber

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to promote (a) York and (b) North Yorkshire as a vibrant community for film making.

Margot James: In 2016/17 the British Film Institute (BFI), as the Government’s lead agency for film, invested £57,000 in York and £172,800 in North Yorkshire to support a range of film-related activities and projects, including the BFI Neighbourhood Cinema Programme, the Yorkshire Film Archive, and business support through the BFI Vision Awards. In addition, the BFI has worked extensively with Screen Yorkshire and its partners to develop the area as a creative cluster with seed funding totalling £254,000. In addition, Screen Yorkshire’s £28.8m Yorkshire Content Fund, a public-private investment fund for the screen and digital sectors, has, since 2012, been open to producers either based in Yorkshire or wishing to film or establish a base in the region.

Advertising: Internet

Martyn Day: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport,  if she will undertake a review of the regulations governing internet advertising, with particular reference to claims about previous retail price, discounts and savings in those advertisements.

Margot James: Digital advertising is already regulated by the ASA. Complaints about online ads made up nearly half the ASA’s workload in 2017 This system is independent of the Government and is ultimately responsible for setting the standards in advertising, ensuring that all adverts, wherever they appear, are legal, decent, honest and truthful. The advertising codes are intended to reflect the best available evidence of the effect of advertising on the public, and are periodically reviewed to ensure they remain fit for purpose.

Food: Advertising

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the effect of junk food advertising on young people.

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether he plans to review the (a) scope and (b) effectiveness of guidelines on advertising in relation to junk food marketing.

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment he had made of the effectiveness of restrictions on food and drink advertising.

Margot James: We are committed to tackling childhood obesity and supporting people to make healthy choices. Strict new rules came into effect on 1 July 2017 banning the advertising of HFSS food or drink products in children’s media. These restrictions apply across all non-broadcast media including in print, cinema, online and in social media.  In addition in August 2017 we announced £5 million investment in a policy research unit on obesity to provide a robust evidence, evaluation and research capability including looking at advertising and promotions. Advertising is regulated by the independent Advertising Standards Authority and underpinned by consumer protection legislation. This system is independent of the Government. It is vital that the advertising codes reflect the best available evidence of the effect of advertising on the public, and are periodically reviewed to ensure they remain fit for purpose.

Food: Advertising

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions he has had with representatives of social media companies on restricting junk food adverts to children.

Margot James: The department meets regularly with online platforms to discuss what more can be done to protect young people online, including from the advertisement products online. The Internet Safety Strategy will explore how higher expectations of online safety from advertisers can be translated into a greater focus on safety from platforms.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport: Child Care Vouchers

Stephanie Peacock: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how many employees of his Department make use of the childcare vouchers scheme.

Margot James: In January 2018 66 employees of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport made use of the childcare vouchers scheme.

Broadband: Telford and Wrekin

Lucy Allan: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent steps he has taken to facilitate access to superfast broadband for people who live in (a) Telford constituency and (b) Telford and Wrekin local authority area.

Margot James: The Government has provided over £2.1m for the delivery of superfast broadband in Telford and Wrekin. According to Thinkbroadband, 97.3% of premises in the Telford and Wrekin local authority area can access superfast broadband, up from 77% in 2012. As confirmed in our announcement in December 2017 we are pushing ahead with our plans for a Universal Service Obligation (USO) so that, by 2020, everyone across the UK will have a clear, enforceable right to request 10 Megabit per second broadband.

Social Media: Bullying

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions he has had with representatives of Facebook and Twitter on tackling abuse and misogyny on social media.

Margot James: Ministers and officials have regular meetings and discussions with social media companies on a range of issues including online abuse. Details of ministerial meetings are published quarterly on the Gov.uk website.

Radio Frequencies: EU Action

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment the Government has made of the feasibility of the UK participating in the EU’s spectrum policy framework after the UK has left the EU.

Margot James: The European Electronic Communications Framework is currently subject to re-negotiation by Member States of the EU, renamed the European Electronic Communications Code (EECC). Spectrum management forms a part of this legislation. The UK, as a current member of the EU, is taking a full part in this re-negotiation. The UK and other EU Member States maintain membership in their own right of a number of international organisations such as the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) which considers spectrum issues on a global basis. This is in addition to our engagement on spectrum management matters within the EU.

Musicians: Free Movement of People

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what plans his Department has to ensure that UK musicians can tour the EU after the UK leaves the EU.

Margot James: The Department is working closely with the music industry to better understand the potential impacts of the UK’s exit from the European Union (EU) on UK musicians being able to tour the EU. . In addition, we are working closely with the Home Office, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and the Department for Exiting the European Union (DExEU) to ensure that they are well informed of these issues. We want to continue to build on the success of the live music scene and are committed to supporting artists perform across the world to ensure the continued growth of this vital and vibrant sector.

BBC: Disability Aids

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent estimate his Department has made of the proportion of BBC content that includes audio description; and if he will make a statement.

Margot James: A digitally inclusive society is a key priority for the government, and everyone should be able to enjoy and exploit the benefits and convenience afforded to able-bodied people.  Ofcom is required under the Communications Act (2003) to set targets for the proportion of BBC output that should be audio described. Currently BBC channels (excluding BBC Parliament) are required to audio describe 10% of their programme content (except in the case of BBC News). Ofcom publishes reports on the provision of access services. The latest report shows that BBC channels comfortably exceeded their targets:  https://www.ofcom.org.uk/research-and-data/multi-sector-research/accessibility-research/tv-access-services-2017  As Ofcom’s report shows, broadcasters in the UK already provide a high level of subtitling, signing and audio description which is available for scheduled programming, but there is still room for improvement. Through the Digital Economy Act 2017, the provision of access services (subtitling, signing and audio description) is being extended to on demand services. Ofcom is in the process of consulting to determine the requirements that providers of on-demand programme services will be required to meet which will then be set out by the Secretary of State.

BBC: Equal Pay

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether he has discussed with the BBC closing the gender pay gap at the BBC by 2020.

Margot James: The government is clear that the BBC has a responsibility to set an example for others and lead the way in promoting equality in the workplace. Ministers have regular discussions with the Director-General on a range of topics, including the BBC’s gender pay gap, and we welcome his commitment to closing the gap by 2020.